I’ve been busy sewing new pieces for our Holiday Show next weekend. Below, it’s my new shape, a loose fitting coat with a wide shawl collar.

I love the relaxed casual feeling of this one. The collar is soft and full like a scarf. It can be pulled in close to the neck or left wide to fall off the shoulders.

I used two beautiful black and white kimono silks, each one with variations of soft waving lines. They work perfectly with the relaxed shape of the collar.

Echoing the waving lines, I appliqued skinny blue and purple bias strips onto the collar.

Below, the collar in process, the strips pinned in place.

A very close up shot, showing the strips and the little turquoise squares added for a bit of pizazz.

Under the collar I used a blue/purple silk. It’s a hidden surprise. A little something that peeks out when the collar is adjusted and moved.

Another new shape finished in time for the show. It’s a tunic length ‘Hitoe.’ A few extra inches in length creates that flattering, elongating shape we all love. It has slits on the sides for movement and deep sleeve hems so that they can be rolled up.

The one below is in a similar deep blue/purple that I used for the underside of the shawl collar coat.

And like the coat, there’s a surprise. When the top button is undone and the collar folded open, there’s a contrasting print.

I’ll have these and more tunic length hitoes, shawl collar coats, trench coats, jackets and scarves at our Holiday Show. Next weekend! December 7 and 8.

See you there!